TheMediaLine
WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE TO CHANGE THE MISINFORMATION
about the
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR?
Ancient Prayer Hall Discovered Under Iraq’s Al-Nuri Mosque During Reconstruction Work
An ancient prayer hall was discovered under the al-Nuri mosque in Mosul in northern Iraq dating to the 12th century during excavations around the site heavily damaged by Islamic State fighters in the 2017 battle for the city, seen in a January 18, 2022 photo. (Zaid Al-Obeid/AFP via Getty Images)

Ancient Prayer Hall Discovered Under Iraq’s Al-Nuri Mosque During Reconstruction Work

An ancient prayer hall has been discovered under the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul, Iraq. The mosque is best known in recent years as the place from which the Islamic State, or ISIS, declared their failed caliphate in 2014. ISIS later destroyed the mosque in 2017, and it has been under reconstruction by the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO since 2018, with funding from the United Arab Emirates. The prayer room from the 12th century was identified during excavations underneath the mosque, according to reports, and some believe it is the mosque’s original prayer hall. In addition, four rooms for the performance of ablutions were discovered under the prayer room. Each room is about 10 feet high, and is about 20 feet underground. The mosque was constructed in 1172, but much of it was destroyed and then reconstructed in 1942, with only its famous leaning minaret surviving.  The current reconstruction work is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

TheMediaLine
WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE TO CHANGE THE MISINFORMATION
about the
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR?
Personalize Your News
Upgrade your experience by choosing the categories that matter most to you.
Click on the icon to add the category to your Personalize news
Browse Categories and Topics